Enantiomeric analysis of chiral compounds in irradiated foods using multidimensional gas chromatography

The usefulness of both solid phase microextraction (SPME) and multidimensional gas chromatography (MDGC) coupled to mass spectrometry (MS) to detect chiral compounds in irradiated cheese was evaluated. The enantiomeric resolution of relevant chiral aroma compound was achieved by analyzing the extracts obtained from SPME by means of a permethylated β-CD stationary phase as the main column of the multidimensional system to separate specific selected cuts containing components unresolved in the first dimension. The proposed procedure allowed to determine, in less than 90 min, that no significant variations had been produced in the stereoisomeric distribution of limonene, 3-hydroxybutanone, and 2,3-butanediol in cheese when applying irradiation doses ranging from 0 to 8 kGy.